Jana Sýkorová

Soloist of the Opera

As a leading soloist with the Prague State Opera from 1999 to 2011 and with the National Theatre since 2012, contralto Jana Sýkorová‘s performances have included the title roles of Bizet’s Carmen, Thomas‘ Mignon, Vivaldi’s Orlando furioso, Petitgirard’s Elephant Man and Viklický‘s Phaedra and The Ploughman and the Death – the last three ones in world premieres. Her signature parts also include Verdi’s Azucena (Il trovatore), Fenena (Nabucco), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Massenet’s Charlotte (Werther) and Dvořák’s Káča (The Devil and Kate) and Ježibaba (Rusalka). She has reprised the role of Carmen in eight productions and she was dubbed by a French critic at Forum Opera as “one of the most interesting Carmen throughout the world”. Jana Sýkorová’s French stage premiere in Nice of Petitgirard’s opera Joseph Merrick dit Elephant Man won international acclaim in 2002 as did the subsequently released DVD. In 2007, she made her debut as Maddalena with the London Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where she returned to perform the role of Mercédès and to cover the title role of Carmen. She had further more guest performances in Berlin, Dijon, Nice and at the opera festival in Wales. Jana Sýkorová has cooperated with eminent conductors such as B. Gregor, J. Bělohlávek, F. Haider, M. Guidarini, R. Palumbo, D. Oren, R. Rizi-Brignoli, J. Latham-Koenig or R. Jindra, and stage directors such as D. Mesguich, D. McVicar or F. Zambello. As a soloist with symphonic orchestras on concert stages of ten countries of the word, particular mention should be made in regard to Jana Sýkorová‘s performances in Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody with B. Klee and I. Metzmacher, in Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass with NHK and Ch. Dutoit, in Dvořák’s oratorios with G. Albrecht including St. Ludmila on the DVD and in Mahler’s works with T. Netopil and J. Hrůša. Dvořák’s opera The Stubborn Lovers with Jiří Bělohlávek and Dvořák’s Requiem awarded a Japanese Price Tokusen come in the number of Jana Sýkorová‘s CD recordings.